Intrauterine device

ABSTRACT

An intrauterine contraceptive appliance formed of a section of fine mesh made of materials which are inert and immune to chemical and physical changes in the human body. The mesh section has resiliency and is retained in the uterine cavity by friction.

United States Patent Inventor Coy L. Lay [56] References Cited I N #32:? UNITED STATES PATENTS g f Se 968 1,555,708 9/1925 Gale 128/285 1 p 2,962,023 1 1/1960 Chappaz et al. l28/260 paemed 3 093 831 6/]963 J d 128 260 Assignee lnuteodes, lnc. or an Jacksonville, Fla. Primary Examiner-Adele M. Eager a corporation of Florida Attorney-B. P. Fishbume, Jr.

INTRAUTERINE DEVICE 7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 128/130, ABSTRACT: An intrauterine contraceptive appliance formed 1 28/260, 128/285 of a section of fine mesh made of materials which are inert and Int. Cl A6" 5/46 immune to chemical and physical changes in the human body. Field of Search l28/l27 The mesh section has resiliency and is retained in the uterine I28, I29, 130, I31, 264, 260, 261, 262, 285 cavity by friction.

PATENTEUFEB 2 |97| INVENTOR COY L. LAY M 6W4 ATTORNEY INTRAUTERINE DEVICE Numerous intrauterine contraceptive devices have been proposed in the prior art and have met with varying degrees of success in practice. In some instances, these devices have caused pain or bleeding; in other instances, the devices cannot be successfully retained in the body cavity.

Various serpentine constructions and springlike forms have been devised in an effort to provide the ideal construction but none has proven completely satisfactory.

In a rather abrupt departure from the prior art teachings, the present invention provides a novel approach to the problem through the provision of a section or strip of inert material in thin mesh form which may be trimmed to the approximate size and shape desirable for individual usage. The device is comfortable and has a natural ability to resist accidental ejection from the body through its resiliency and frictional contact with the walls of the uterine cavity. It is free of rough edges and protrusions which might irritate tissue and its fineness of texture is entirely compatible with delicate tissue and yet the device has sufficient mass or body to serve as a contraceptive. It is equipped with inert thread to facilitate insertion and removal and it may be constructed in a range of sizes, each of does may be trimmed or tailored to individual specifications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a plan view of an intrauterine contraceptive device embodying the invention in an extended condition with retrieval threads secured to one end.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a slightly modified form of the device with retrieval threads secured to the center portion of a mesh section or strip.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view showing the device of FIG. I connected with an inserter prior to being drawn into the inserter by retraction of the inserter plunger.

FIG. 4 is a s mewhat diagrammatic elevational view depicting the insertion of the device into the uterine cavity.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein like numerals designate like parts, the numeral designates a section or strip or sheet of fine readily pliable unitary mesh constituting the body of the intrauterine device and formed of inert material, such as polyethylene, nylon, Teflon, or the like. In any event, the form of material employed will be noninitating to the body and immune to body chemicals. A variety of such materials are now known to medical art.

The mesh strip or sheet section 10 is somewhat irregularly shaped and normally generally flat when in a free or relaxed condition. It will vary in length, preferably from 4 cm. to 12 cm., and will vary in width from 0.5 cm. to about 3 cm. depending upon the size of the uterus into which it is to be inserted. The mesh body I0 may be easily trimmed or tailored to shape and size by a physician. It is treated during fabrication to eliminate any sharp protrusions or edges likely to cause irritation.

The mesh fibers vary in diameter from 0.05 mm. to 0.5 mm. and consequently the strip or sheet material is quite fine in texture although still possessing a considerable degree of resiliency and body. The mesh openings 11 are irregularly shaped and sized and vary in width or diameter between 0.5 mm. and about I .0 cm.

Secured to one end of the mesh section I0, FIG. I, or alternatively, to the center of the section as in FIG. 2, are threads I2 of inert nylon or plastic or the like. These threads are permanently attached to the mesh section to assist in inserting the device into the uterus and in removing it from the body.

In FIG. 3. the intrauterine device is shown with its threads 12 connected to the plunger 13 of a slender tubular inserter 14. When the plunger is retracted by pulling on its remote end, the device is withdrawn into the bore of the inserter very easil y FIG. 4 illustrates the insertion of the intrauterine device into the uterine cavity, the plunger I3 having again been extended from the inserter 14 so that the mesh section 10 can expand due to its natural resiliency and assume the most favorable shape for frictionally contacting the walls of the uterus. In this connection, the mesh device will cling to the walls of the cavity without irritation or discomfort and resist ejection until purposefully withdrawn by the threads 12 which project externally after the inserter is removed.

The device is particularly advantageous for those individuals who have experienced failure conventional devices because they have prematurely ejected or caused discomfort or bleeding. Conventional devices cannot be used in a nulliparous patient with a small uterus, whereas the invention device can be trimmed and tailored to accommodate even these patients and all others.

It is felt that the features and advantages of the invention over the prior art will now be readily apparent to those skilled in the art without the necessity for further description herein.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the subjoined claims.

Iclaim:

I. An intrauterine contraceptive device comprising a unitary pliable section of open mesh thin sheet material formed of chemically inert substance.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said section of open mesh thin sheet material is elongated and somewhat irregularly shaped and has smooth edges free of projections, and a retrieval thread secured to the section of mesh material.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said retrieval thread is disposed at one end of the section of mesh material.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the retrieval thread is secured near the longitudinal center of the section of mesh material.

5. An intrauterine contraceptive device comprising a unitary pliable section of open mesh material formed of a chemically inert substance, said mesh material having irregular openings ranging in size from about 0.5 mm. to about 1.0 cm., and said mesh material constructed of fibers having a diameter ranging from about 0.05 mm. to about 0.5 mm.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the mesh material is an inert plastic.

7. The device of claim 2, wherein said mesh material and retrieval thread are formed of polyethylene and said material is fine textured and somewhat resilient and possesses inherently the ability to conform itself to the irregular walls of the uterine cavity and to cling to such walls naturally without irritating. 

1. An intrauterine contraceptive device comprising a unitary pliable section of open mesh thin sheet material formed of chemically inert substance.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein said section of open mesh thin sheet material is elongated and somewhat irregularly shaped and has smooth edges free of projections, and a retrieval thread secured to the section of mesh material.
 3. The device of claim 2, wherein said retrieval thread is disposed at one end of the section of mesh material.
 4. The device of claim 2, wherein the retrieval thread is secured near the longitudinal center of the section of mesh material.
 5. An intrauterine contraceptive device comprising a unitary pliable section of open mesh material formed of a chemically inert substance, said mesh material having irregular openings ranging in size from about 0.5 mm. to about 1.0 cm., and said mesh material constructed of fibers having a diameter ranging from about 0.05 mm. to about 0.5 mm.
 6. The device of claim 5, wherein the mesh material is an inert plastic.
 7. The device of claim 2, wherein said mesh material and retrieval thread are formed of polyethylene and said material is fine textured and somewhat resilient and possesses inherently the ability to conform itself to the irregular walls of the uterine cavity and to cling to such walls naturally without irritating. 